Abstract: Systematic violations of migrant workers’ human rights and striking health disparities
among these populations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the norm in member
countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Migrant laborers comprise
about 90 percent of the UAE workforce and include approximately 500,000 construction
workers and 450,000 domestic workers. Like many other GCC members
countries, the UAE witnessed an unprecedented construction boom during the early
2000s, attracting large numbers of Western expatriates and increasing demand for
cheap migrant labor. Elite Emiratis’ and Western expatriates’ dependence on household
staff further promoted labor migration. This paper offers a summary of existing
literature on migrant workers and human rights in the UAE, focusing on their impact
on related health ramifications and disparities, with specific attention to construction
workers, domestic workers, and trafficked women and children. Construction workers
and domestic laborers are victims of debt bondage and face severe wage exploitation,
and experience serious health and safety problems resulting from inhumane work and
living conditions. High rates of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse impact the
health of domestic workers. Through a review of available literature, including official
reports, scientific papers, and media reports, the paper discusses the responsibility of
employers, governments, and the global community in mitigating these problems and
reveals the paucity of systematic data on the health of migrant workers in the Gulf.